Process of and apparatus for controlling the discharge of molten contents of crucibles or



(no Model.) AQJ. ROGERS, PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING THE DISCHARGE 0F Patented Feb. 23, 1892.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. I

AUGUSTUS J. ROGERS, OF MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin.

PROCESS OF AND'APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING THE DISCHARGE OF MOLTEN CONTENTS 0F CRUC|BLES OR OTHER VESSELSf SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 469,454, dated-Februar 23, 1892. I Application filed March 22, 1890. Serial Nd- 344'880- (No model.) I I To all whom it may concern.- I

Be it known that I, AUGUSTUS J. ROGERS, of

. Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes of and Apparatus for OontrollingtheDischarge of the Molten Contents of Orucibles and otherVes sels; and I do hereby declare'that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the inven tion, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertainsto m'ake'and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form' a partof this specification,

' The main object of my invention is to facilitate drawingioft the liquid contents of a crucible and controlling the flow therefrom.

It consists, essentially,of fusing the material in the discharge aperture or passage of the crucible by'heatinga-conductor inserted therein to start the flow and of permitting the material to cool and solidifyin said aperture or passage by allowing or. causing said conductor to cool to stop the flow.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating theapparatus ,b'y'whichun y improved method or process is carried out, like letters designate the same figures.

Figure 1 is a vertical section of a crucible and furnace provided with my apparatus, and

' Figs. 2, 3, and 4 are like views of crucibles with modifications or the apparatus.

Referring to Fig. 1, A represents a crucible;

B, the furnace in which it is set, which is pref-' erably formed underneath the crucible with a chamber or recess to facilitate drawing 0E the contents of the crucible. 0 represents the positive electrode or anode,

which may-be composed of carbon or other,

suitable material and cover act the crucible.

D represents the negative electrode or cathode, which may be conveniently formed of a metallic tube secured in and projecting downwardly from an aperture in the bottom of the crucible.

E is a tube of carbon or other suitable inaprojects through the terial which affords .suflic ient resistance to the electric current to produce heat and which or similar parts in the several is not readily acted 'upon by the contents of nectedwith the anode by a wire or suitable which is connected by a wire or suitable conductorH with a switch I, by whichthe current may lee-directed either through a conductor h, attachedto the cathode, or, a conductor it,

connected with the p'rotruding'end, of the tube E.

K represents abasjn or spitable receptacle for receiving the contents of the crucible as they are drawn oit.

The apparatus described is particularly designed for electrolytic Work in obtaining met- -als and their alloys from certain compounds containing such metals.

To draw oif the molten contents of the crucible, the current is switched through'the tube E, and the heat generated by its passage through said tube fuses the metal or substance in contact therewith, causing it toflow from the crucible so long as the electric current traverses and heats said tube. As soon as the current is cut out from the tubeEit cools and the metal or substance, which readily flows through it in the molten state, quickly cools and solidifies in contact with the tube and thereby arrests the further flow. To accelerate the cooling of the tube for the purpose of stopping the flow, I may inclose the lower protruding end of the tube E with a metallic. tube or jacket e, to which cooling agents may be easily applied; but under-.ordinary circumstances the exposure of the protrudingend of the discharging-tube is sufficient of itself to immediately check the flow conductor G and the negative terminal of from the crucible when the current is cut out from said tube.

In place of a tube, as shown in Fig. 1,Imay employ a rodL, of similar material, through which the current is made to pass and which is preferably formed with a handle Z for in' serting and holding it in place within the discharging-tube. In connection with such a rod I employa tube d of some material which will not be readily acted upon by the contents of the crucible, and ,in this tube the rod L is I agents can be readily applied.

In lieu'of the forms of apparatus hereinbefore described for drawing off the contents of the crucible I may employ a rod M in an aperture or passage leading obliquely or laterally out of the lower portion of the crucible, as shovvntin Fig. 3, or a tube N, inserted in a similar aperture or passage tapping the lower'partof thecrucible, as shown in Fig. 4. With the last two arrangements of the device I may employ for the cathode in electrolytic work a solid metallic bar or red 0.

It is obvious that in its details the apparatus may be variously modified without affecting, itsmode of operation or departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim 1. The process of controlling the discharge of theinolten contents of a crucible or other vessel, consisting in permitting a portion of the material to cool and solidify in the discharge-aperture for stopping the flow while the contents of the crucible proper are in a fluid condition and in heating a conductor inserted in said aperture, so as to fuse the material therein for starting the flow of the previously-melted contents of the crucible, substantially as and for the purposes set'forth. 2. The process of controlling the discharge of the molten contents of a crucible or other. vessel,which consists in permitting a portion of the material to cool and solidifyin the discharge-aperture for stopping the flow While the contents of the crucible proper are in a fluid condition and in fusing the material in said aperture by passing an electric current through a conductor inserted therein for starting the flow of the previously-melted contents of the crucible, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. In apparatus for controlling the discharge of the molten contents of a crucible or other vessel, the combination, with a crucible or vessel having a suitable discharge aper-.

ture or passage and means of fusing the contents of said crucible or vessel, of a conductor inserted in said aperture orpassage and having suitable connections with a source of electricity, and a circuit-controlling device whereby the current may be passed through said conductor or cut out therefrom independently of the means of melting the con tents of the crucible or vessel proper, so as to fuse the material in said aperture or permit the same to cool and solidify for starting or stopping the flow f romsaid crucible or vessel of its previously-melted contents, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

AUGUSTUS J. ROGERS.

Witnesses:

E. H. BOTTUM, CHAS. L. Goss. 

